What happened on Saturday near Moscow? A light training aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-18T, crashed in the Kolomna district of the Moscow region, killing all four people on board — trainees in pilot training. Yes, you read that right — four young pilots, preparing to conquer the skies, ended up in flames after the engine failed during an aerobatic maneuver. A fire broke out immediately after the crash, and although the plane was destroyed, there were no casualties or material damage on the ground. But wait, there’s more! Reportedly, the plane did not have a flight permit! Is this just an accident or something much more serious? The prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation, but the question remains — how could this happen in the 21st century, near the capital of Russia?
The Yak-18T is widely used by aeroclubs across the former Soviet Union for training civil aviation pilots. You would expect safety to be the top priority, but this tragedy casts a shadow over the entire system. Four lives lost, families and communities left with pain and unanswered questions.
Is this a warning that rules must be strictly followed? Or is it just another tragic reminder of the dangers lurking even in seemingly harmless training flights? While the investigation is ongoing, we are left wondering — how much is pilot safety really a priority? And how many more accidents need to happen before something changes?
If you have thoughts on this tragedy or have heard anything that might help shed light on the case, feel free to share. Let voices be heard, because silence helps no one, especially not those who lost their loved ones.
